Aside from their usual call on the faithful to vote wisely, Catholic Church leaders are encouraging principled persons to run for public office in next year’s presidential and national elections. The Catholic calls upon those who are competent, persons of integrity and [persons] committed to change to get involved directly in principled partisan politics and become candidates for political election, aware that the common good is above the good of vested interests. The influential Catholic church issued the pastoral statement at the conclusion of its two-day plenary assembly on Sunday. Its members elected a new set of officers, with Tandag (Surigao Del Sur) Bishop Nereo Odchimar as incoming president by Dec. 1 to succeed Bishop Antonio Lagdameo. The election over the weekend capped the four day retreat among bishops at the Betania retreat house in Tagaytay City. Bishop Odchimar traced his roots in Bohol. Bishop’s mother is from Garcia Hernandez Town and is related to the Galidos’. Before the election took place, Odchimar was already forecast to be Lagdameo’s successor being already the CBCP Vice President. The successor was supported by the Mindanao bloc of around 20 bishops.
